Mowing-machine



No. 6I6,370. Patented Dec. 20, I898. c. c. SWAIN. uowme MACHINE.

(Application filed Sept. 27, 1897. (No Modem 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

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No. 616,370. Patented Dec. 20, I898. C. C. SWAIN.

MUWING MACHINE.

(Application filed Sept. 27, 1897.) (N0 Model.) 3 Sheeis-$heet 2.

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No. 616,370. P atented Dec. 20, I898. c. c. SWAIN.

ROWING MACHINE.

(Application filed Sept. 27, 1897.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shet 3.

gwbewtoz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES C. SiVAIN, OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA.

MOWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,370, dated December 20, 1898. Application filed September 27, 1897. Serial No. 653,220. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES C. SWAIN, of Stockton, in the county of San Joaquin and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mowing Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled .in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to novel and useful improvements in mowing-machines.

The primary object of the invention is to dispense with the usual gearing by which the sickle-bar of the ordinary m owing-machine is reciprocated and provide in its stead a simple means for transmitting motion to said bar through the medium of sprockets and chains.

A further object is to provide an effectual but simple operative connection between the cam-wheel which is operated by said sprockets and chains and the sickle-bar whereby reciprocatory movement is transmitted to said sickle-bar.

A still further object of the invention is to improve machines of this character generally, producing in the concrete a machine that will be especially simple in construction, durable, economical, and efficient in operation.

With these and other objects in view,which will become apparent in the course of the following description, the invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter fully described, and the points of novelty will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

I am enabled to accomplish the objects of my invention by the simple means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mowingmachine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line :0 :r' of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the slide operated by the cam-wheel to reciprocate the sickle-bar; and Fig. 6 is a central vertical section of the slide-bar for reciprocating the cross-bar, the roller thereon bein gin section, illustrating the ball-bearings therein.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the frame of the machine,which in the present instance is composed of longitudinal bars 2 and 3 and an oblique side bar 4,which bars are loosely mounted upon the axle 5 and are capable of rocking thereon, as is usual in machines of this character.

6 indicates a pole or tongue provided a short distance in front of the machine proper with the usual singletrees, secured at its rear end to a plate or casting sleeved upon the axle 5.

Loosely mounted upon the axle between the bars 2 and 3 is a sprocket-wheel 7, provided upon its hub with teeth 8, adapted to engage similar teeth 9 upon a collar 10, keyed to the axle. Said sprocket-wheel is adapted to be shifted into and out of engagement with the collar 10 for the obvious purpose of cans in g the said sprocket to revolve with the shaft or not, as may be desired. Passing over said sprocket-wheel and over a smaller sprocketwheel 11, mounted on'a transverse shaft 12, journaled in suitable bearings upon the bars 2 and 3, is a sprocket-chain 13, through which medium motion is transmitted'from the larger sprocket-wheel to the shaft 12 for the purpose of driving a wheel 14, keyed to the shaft 12. Provided upon the periphery of the wheel 14 is a cam-race 15, formed in the present instance of two parallel spiral flanges 16, secured to said wheel in such a manner that they can be readily removed and replaced when they become worn. Supported in arms 17, depending from the frame of the machine, is a slideway 18, which is adapted to come beneath the cam-wheel 14, and the numeral 19 indicates a sliding member provided with a lug or projection 20, extending into the cam-race. Said member 19 is provided on its lower side with an arm 21, having a ball 22 on the lower end thereof adapted to fit in a socket 23 at one end of a pitman 24, which has its other end connected by a ball-and-socket connection to the sickle-bar 25, from which construction it will be seen that when the cam-wheel is rotated the sickle-bar will be caused to reciprocate.

Secured to the pole in convenient position to be grasped by the hand of the operator is a lever 25, provided with the usual fingerlever 26 and bar leading therefrom to a sliding bolt adapted to enter one of the notches upon a segment 26, also mounted upon the pole. Said lever in the present instance is provided with an arm 27, to whichis secured a chain 28, having its lower end secured to the horizontal arm of the frame for the obvious purpose of lifting said bar and the cutfer-bar and sickle-bar and securing them in any desired elevated position. Secured to the forward part of the frame by a pivotal connection at its forward end is a yoke 29, provided with depending arms 30, secured to the shoe 31 by ball-and-socket joint. Secured to the forward portion of the said shoe is an upright arm 32, to which is secured one end of a spring 33, which has its upper end connected with the lower end of a chain 33, which passes under a small pulley 34 on the frame and over a pulley 35 on the under side of'the pole, from whence said chain extends rearwardly and has its end connected through a spiral spring 33 with the end of a pendent lug 35'.

The numeral 36 indicates a stop or projection which is provided upon the chain just back of or beyond the pulley 34 for the obvious purpose of providing a difierent tension for the outer end of the finger-bar from that exerted upon the shoe. By this arrangement of the springs 33 33 and chain 33 with its stop 36 as the inner end of the cutting apparatus is lifted the outer end of the cutting apparatus remains on the ground, thereby throwing additional weight through the arm 32 on the chain, and the spring 33 yields until the stop 36 comes in contact with the pulley 34, which prevents further yielding, and thereby throws the entire weight and strain of the outer end of the cutting apparatus on the spring 33 and which is of suflicient strength to cause the outer endof the cutting apparatus to be lifted with the inner end.

Suitably supported in proximity to the drivers seat is a segment 36, which has pivoted thereto a lever 37, provided with the usual finger-lever 38, rod 39, and sliding spring-actuated bolt adapted to enter one of the notches in said segment. Pivotally secured to the lower end of said lever is a link 38', extending toward the forward part of the machine, where its end is connected with one arm of the bell-crank lever39, the other arm of said lever extending between two pins 40 on the rear end of the yoke, and it will be seen that when said lever is operated the yoke and the cutting apparatus connected therewith will be tilted.

Pivot-ally secured to the frame at one end and similarly secured to the member 41 below the pole is a rod or link 42 for the obvious purpose of equalizing the draft when the 1. The combination with the transverse V shaft in the forward portion of the pivotallysupported machine frame, of a sprocket- Wheel in gear with the sprocket on the main axle, a cam-wheel fast on said shaft, parallel, spiral flanges removably connected with the periphery of said wheel and suitably spaced to form a cam-race,and a slide having a ball-andsocket connection with the sickle-bar pitman and provided with an arm extending into said cam-race, whereby said sickle-bar is reciprocated when the wheel is rotated, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the main frame of the machine, of a yoke pivotally connected thereto, a shoe hinged to said yoke, an upright arm secured to the forward portion of the shoe and provided at its upper end with a spring, a chain or cord secured to the free end of said spring and passing under a suitable guide-pulley on the frame, a stop or pro jection on the chain beyond the guide-pulley for limiting the downward movement of the outer end of the cutting apparatus and a spring connecting theinner end of said chain with an arm rigid on the frame, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the main frame of the machine, of a yoke pivotally connected therewith, a shoe hinged to said yoke, an up right arm secured to the forward portion of the shoe and provided at its upper end with a spring, a cord or chain secured to the free end of said spring and passing under a suitable guide-pulley on the frame and over a second guide-pulley on the pole, astop or projection on said chain intermediate said guide-pulleys and a spring connected to the free end of said chain and secured to a rigid arm on the machine-frame, for the purpose and substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHAS. O. SWAIN.

Witnesses:

O. E. LITTLEHALE, E. L. WILHorr. 

